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Northern Hemisphere Crop-Weather Outlook for the 2011 Growing Season A review of conditions experienced in the winter of 2010-2011 Current conditions Projected weather patterns for the spring of 2011 Outlook for the summer of 2011

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Northern Hemisphere Crop-Weather Outlook for the 2011 Growing Season A review of conditions experienced in the winter of 2010-2011 Current conditions Projected weather patterns for the spring of 2011 Outlook for the summer of 2011

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Equatorial Pacific (180-100°W) Sea Surface Temperature (SST) Departures From Normal (°C) Large positive anomalies associated with El Niño decreased beginning in late February 2010, becoming negative in late April. The negative anomalies since June 2010 are consistent with La Niña. Since the beginning of January 2011, the negative anomalies have weakened. La Niña conditions began in June 2010 but are currently weakening La Niña is expected to continue into the Northern Hemisphere spring

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North Atlantic Oscillation Strongly negative most of the time since October 2009 (e.g. blocking high- pressure system over the N. Atlantic Ocean). Profound impact on N. Hemisphere weather conditions, both winter and summer (e.g. freezes in Florida, Jan. and Dec. 2010; Russian drought of summer 2010). Agricultural Weather Assessments World Agricultural Outlook Board

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Northern Hemisphere Crop-Weather Outlook for the 2011 Growing Season A review of conditions experienced in the winter of 2010-2011 Current conditions Projected weather patterns for the spring of 2011 Outlook for the summer of 2011 Note: USDA does not make official weather or climate forecasts for the federal government. The National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center provides such outlooks.

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Northern Hemisphere Crop-Weather Outlook for the 2011 Growing Season A review of conditions experienced in the winter of 2010-2011 Current conditions Projected weather patterns for the spring of 2011 Outlook for the summer of 2011